nature
Buckskin Gulch
Of course, we could write an article here about Buckskin Gulch that would leave dear readers deeply impressed and perhaps even inspire them to go hiking in the future. It is indeed fascinating that Buckskin Gulch stretches over 20 kilometres across two US states: Arizona and Utah. And with its steep walls of Navajo sandstone over a hundred metres high, it is also one of the deepest and narrowest slot canyons in the world. Like many slot canyons in the USA, Buckskin Gulch is also characterised by water: despite its extremely dry geographical location, the danger of flash floods is omnipresent. Immense masses of water, mud and rock then force their way through the narrow, deep gorge within a very short space of time, moulding the soft rock into curved overhangs, meringue-like domes and layered outcrops. Impressive, isn't it?
But more than facts and figures, our own hike through Buckskin Gulch, which lasted several hours, shaped us and left us with the promise to return one day.
We start our tour early in the morning at the Wire Pass Trailhead and follow the dry riverbed for several kilometres. Despite the burning heat of the morning sun, we are drawn further into the spell of the surrounding nature with every step. Close to the riverbed, beautiful scrubby bushes, evergreen trees and delicate shrubs grow amidst reddish-brown rocks. The fine sandy soil is dotted with glittering stone chips, large boulders and... traces! Traces of small desert dwellers. In addition to night-black beetles, which tirelessly fight their way forward with their short legs and energetically start their day, pretty lizards also cross our path and warm themselves up in the morning sun.
After a few kilometres, the landscape gradually changes. The smaller rocks grow into curved cliffs. Initially as plateau-like outcrops, they increasingly line the narrowing edge of the path as tall formations. And a few steps further on, metre-high rock faces pile up to the right and left, setting the scene for the "entrance" to the canyon.
The walk in the hot sunlight now turns into a step-by-step walk in a cool gorge. Only a little light penetrates the narrow shaft from above, so that the bare walls appear in deep purple and dull grey. We meander onwards, squeezing through some narrow passages and climbing carefully over ledges and stepped rocks to a point where the gorge widens upwards. The midday sun now shines into the canyon and shows us all the shades of colour that were previously hidden. Vibrant orange, rich ochre and dark red mingle with the familiar purple-grey. And with every further step, every winding and every vein in the rock, the high walls shine in a different light, so that we think we are walking through a colour palette of numerous desert tones.
Arriving at the Confluence, a point on the trail where the rock faces open up into a wide valley and the first traces of the Paria River can be seen, we pause and look humbly upwards, following the rock walls. The sun is now high in the sky and its glistening light blends the distant domes with the clouds. One last glimpse of bright orange and a deep breath of cool canyon air... We make our way back now with only one thought in mind: We'll be back one day.
USA, May 2022. | All words and photos by The Sturgheons.
